The young man did not believe in any religion. Living in unbelief, far from all thought of God, he had gained the reputation of being the worst of his wild crowd. However, God used the very excess of his wickedness to strike his soul with terror. Suddenly seeing himself as others saw him, his conscience was aroused and he was horrified at the sight.
He exclaimed, “There is not in the world so guilty a sinner as I am! If it is true that the wicked go to hell and that heaven is reserved for the good, my place will not be uncertain. I am going to hell, for if ever a man deserved it, it is surely me.”
From that time there was no rest; terrible thoughts tortured him night and day. How could he get rid of the guilt? Was there any sin he had not tried? Any vice he had not already sampled? Could he find no thrill that would take his mind off that awful subject for at least a little? No, it was hopeless. The old life had lost all attraction for him. Nothing mattered now but to find any possibility of salvation.
It came to his mind that he had heard of monks who had found the way of expiation of sins through penance, prayers and bodily punishment. This thought gave him courage; he felt that no labor or mortification would be too great, if by it he could gain the slightest hope of pardon. So he decided to become a monk.
He made inquiries everywhere for the monastery which had the severest rules and the hardest penances and decided he would go there and pass the remainder of his days in prayers and penances.
He heard at last that the object of his search was a monastery about fifteen hundred miles away. He resolved to go on foot and to beg his way, for this seemed a beginning of his penance and a step gained on the way to heaven.
The journey was long and painful. Exhausted, he came at last in sight of the ancient monastery where he hoped to find rest for his soul. As to his body, he hardly thought of it. Finally he arrived. He knocked. The door was opened by an aged monk.
“What do you want?” the old man asked.
“To be saved,” replied the traveler. “The fear of hell has driven me here to seek the salvation of my soul.”
The monk invited him to enter, and conducted him to his cell. “Now,” said he, “explain yourself.”
“Well, I will tell you what has led me here. You see before you a lost sinner. My life has been so bad that I dare not tell my history. It seems impossible that I can ever be pardoned, yet I am here to undertake everything and to endure everything to obtain pardon. If you will receive me into your order, I will submit without complaint to all the penance you can impose upon me. Tell me only what I ought to do to be saved, and whatever it may be, I will do it.”
The monk replied: “You say you are ready to do anything I tell you? Very well, return to your home at once, for all that you tell me of was done before you came; there remains nothing for you to do. All is accomplished.”
“Did you say all?”
“Yes, all. Did you not know that the Saviour came into the world for this very purpose? He came to endure in our place the punishment which our sins had brought upon us. He ‘was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification’ (Romans 4:2525Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. (Romans 4:25)), having finished the work the Father gave Him to do. It is finished, and now He has returned to His Father. He is seated at His right hand, and He has prepared a place for us in order that where He is we may be also, and rejoice forever in His glory. There is nothing left for you to do but to praise and thank our Saviour. And now, go—return home, dismiss all fear, and trust only in the One who has said, ‘It is finished.’ ”
The traveler trusted in that only Saviour and returned on his journey rejoicing, his heart overflowing with gratitude to the Christ who had borne the penalty of sin for him.
And now, what are you going to do? Have you accepted, like the young man, the payment of your debt to God, or are you trying to pay in some way of your own? It cannot work. If you wish to be saved, only believe. Whosoever believes has eternal life, and has passed from death to life. It is not merely a hope; it is a certainty for the soul that believes. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-98For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8‑9)).
“ Then said they unto [Jesus],
What shall we do, that we might
work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said unto them,
This is the work of God,
that ye believe on Him
whom He hath sent.”